Morecambe are sitting solidly in mid-table in League 2. They're not going to be relegated and it would take an awful lot for them to make the play-offs. In short, an extra point is probably not going to make a massive difference to their season.
Nonetheless, when it's the last minute, you're 1-0 down at home and your side have corner, there's always a good argument for sending up the keeper. Usually it makes feck all difference, but usually it's not big Barry Roche that that the opposition defence have to deal with.
Having almost beaten Portsmouth's on loan Liverpool keeper Ryan Fulton earlier in the game, the Dubliner decided he'd had enough of Morecambe's limp attack and went up for a corner in the 94th minute, rising well above the Pompey defence to head home and promptly celebrating like a man who has scored his first goal in almost 500 career games.
It's fair to say Morecambe fans were quite enjoying seeing the 33 year old head home.
90 plus two Moly at the back post, great save for corner, Barry ROCHE GOOOOOOOAL! 1-1
— Morecambe FC (@ShrimpsOfficial) February 2, 2016
You wait almost 500 games for your first ever goal...and goalkeeper Barry Roche celebrated in style! #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/jkUR2kmh8F
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 3, 2016
0.0029 - The goals per game ratio of Barry Roche. Prolific.
— Opta Morecambe (@OptaMorecambe) February 2, 2016
£30 million Derby shots on goal tonight - 0.
Barry Roche (Goalkeeper) total goals tonight - 1. Quality— Alex Grimshaw (@Sievenarine) February 2, 2016
Barry Roche says scoring that goal is a better feeling than any save he's made. Admitted he had no idea how to celebrate
— Shrimps 24/7 (@Shrimps247) February 2, 2016
League goals in 2015-16:
Morecambe goalkeeper Barry Roche: 1
Stevenage goalkeeper Jesse Joronen: 1
Eden Hazard: 0 pic.twitter.com/GplUawH0hS— bet365 (@bet365) February 2, 2016
We spoke to Barry on our daily sports Podcast The Racket, today. Listen below:
